Games
by ercys girl
Summary: A new partner transfers in causing Danny to reflect on his time with Jackie and her reasons for leaving. Lessons will be learned, lines will be crossed but always as partners, they stick together.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognise._

_This story is something I'm slowly working on. I've a little more written but it needs editing somewhat. I would like to turn it into a continuing series, one case at a time maybe, I'm not sure yet. I do know that as much as I like Jackie, I wanted to give a voice to my own character and hopefully keep Danny's character as true to form as I can._

* * *

The night parted throughout most of the city. A comforting neon glow, softened only marginally by the yellow hues of the street lamps every few yards.

The regular sense of 2am normalcy broken only by the flashes of blues and reds permeating the cities usual lighting.

Feet shuffled and clunked, sometimes slapping the asphalt. Whirs and flutters as the area was blocked off and the tape rattled and crinkled in the wind.

With a deep exhale which sent that breath off into the night air like a small cloud of fog and a pop of the collar, into which shoulders were shrugged to ears to fend off the cold before hands were jammed into pockets a lone pair of footsteps walked into the bustling sounds of the scene.

"What do we got?"

"Couple of party goers were headed home, stumbled across him. One of your guys is looking the body over."

"Yeah, thanks." he nodded and approached "It's freezing out here."

"Thanks for reminding me." the voice of the crouching detective spoke before standing to greet him "Jessica Ryan."

"Right yeah, you're the transfer right? Danny Regan, pleasure." his eyes returned to the body laying on the ground "What do we know?"

"Coroner says no ID on him, so we're going to have to wait for DNA or prints to hopefully tell us who he is. We did find this though." she held out a plastic evidence bag "Receipt for a club, the uh Sound Factory over on West Forty-sixth."

Danny took it and looked it over "So if this is the last place he went, what's he doing all the way out here in Greenwich?"

"Nothing good if this is anything to go by. Looks like a credit card number on there too, could give us something."

"Okay so we should probably head in, we can grab some coffee while we wait. Going to probably catch a cold standing about in this."

"It's only a light drizzle, I don't think it'll hurt you all that much."

"So you say. Come on newbie that coffee is on me, think of it as a welcome gift."

"Gee I'm flattered really."

"So you should be."

x-x

It had been at least a couple of hours since they had arrived back at the station. Despite the sheltered office, the sun had started to rise over the skyscrapers and the city began to transform into it's usual hustle and bustle of noise from people waking and heading out to work.

Jessica dropped her cup unceremoniously onto the desk with a grimace "I swear that coffee has gotten worse."

"I don't doubt that." Danny nodded swirling the last mouthful around his own mug, his eyes focused on Jessica as one of the office workers handed her a file in passing "What's that?"

"We got a hit on the credit card used at the club." she passed the file over "Randy Owens."

"Our guy didn't look like a Randy."

"Of course he didn't, in fact I doubt it's him. My guess? A friend."

"Suppose we'll find out when we get there."

"Yeah, just do me a favour?" she fell into step as she pulled on her coat "Make a stop somewhere so I can get some decent coffee."


	2. Chapter 2

They pulled up outside of an apartment block and headed inside.

"Lift's broken." Danny pointed out.

"What an outstanding neighbourhood." Jessica sighed as her boots clumped up the stairs, echoing around the halls "What floor was it?"

"Sixth."

"Great."

"You know, I'd have thought that nice cup of coffee I bought you would have cheered you up."

"It did. Then we got here."

Danny cocked his head and shrugged following her up. They arrived at the apartment and stood one on each side of the door frame. Danny pounded on the door. They waited as they heard the bolt being removed and it opening a crack.

"Can I help you?" a woman asked eye balling them curiously.

"Is there a Randy Owens here?"

"Who wants to know?"

"NYPD."

She sighed and pulled the door open "The hell did he do now?"

"He known for making trouble?" Jess asked as the woman allowed them inside.

"Just about a weekly occurrence."

"So he's here?"

"Second door on the right." she nodded returning back to the sofa.

Jess followed Danny and paused taking off her hat and scarf, ruffling her hair up.

"You good?" he asked.

"I'm good." She tapped on the door, unzipping her coat and popping a button on her shirt as Danny stood against the wall.

The door opened.

"Yeah?"

"So I was in the neighbourhood and I heard from Leon that you would be here. You are Randy right?" Jess smiled her accent now coated with a thick with a New York drawl.

"Uh yeah that's me." Randy straightened and stepped forward as Jess stepped back up the hall "And uh what can I do for you uhm?"

"Jessica Ryan."

"So what can I do for you Jessica?"

"You want to head with me down town? I got some friends there, we could talk, maybe?"

"Nah I aint heading down there." he froze hands slowly raising.

"Don't turn the lady down Randy." Danny spoke his gun resting against Randy's temple.

"Yeah Randy," her accent now discarded "Don't turn me down." Jess grabbed his hands and cuffed him as Danny holstered his gun.

"Come on Randy, let's go have us a talk." Danny walked him out nodding to the woman who let them inside "Thanks for your help Ma'am."

x-x

Jess entered the interrogation room and slapped the file on the desk.

"He aint said anything yet." Danny told her standing up.

"That's no good Randy." she stated "Having to go through this, we've both missed our afternoon dose of coffee, and that isn't a good thing 'cos we've been working since 2am."

"Yeah? That ain't my problem."

"Come on Randy." Danny spun the chair around and sat on it backwards "You know that's not true. You were with this guy right? You know who he is."

Jess placed a photo on the table "We have witnesses say you and him were out last night. So who is he?"

"Name's Richie Lucas."

"Richie Lucas." Danny glanced at Jess, "So want to tell us why Richie was all the way in Greenwich?"

"No idea. Why he in trouble or something?"

"Or something." Jess stated as Danny stood and moved closer to Randy, "Richie's dead."

"Dead? Wha... How?" Randy asked wide eyed.

"Yeah like you didn't see that one coming." Danny spun the kids head around and pointed at the photo Jess had slid on the table, "Your friend is dead. You know what that means? It means you aint seeing him again. So let's try one more time, why was Richie in Greenwich?"

"How'd he die?"

"Randy just answer the damn question." Jess snapped

"I don't know!" Randy glanced at Danny as the detective hovered over him, "I don't I swear. Look Richie asked me if I could lend him some cash. I didn't have it, I gave him the card."

"This card?" she held up a photo of the evidence.

"Yeah, that's the one." his eyes followed Danny as he walked towards Jess, "Look I swear I know nothing about him being killed."

"You know." Danny paced, "I want to believe you Randy, I do, honest. But, something about what you're saying isn't making sense. Why would Richie come to you for that much money?"

"Because he knew I had it."

"And where does a punk ass kid like you get that much cash?"

"From stuff, I don't know." he shrugged

"Moron." Danny scoffed rolling his eyes before pointing, "You are staying put."

"You, you you can't do that! You have nothing to hold me for."

"48 hours says I don't have to have anything just yet." he yanked the door open and let Jess exit before following, "You believe him?"

"As much as I believe in the Easter bunny."

"Yeah me either." he sighed, standing hands on hips. "All right, we need to go check out this club, uh Sound..."

"Factory."

"Right. So let's go see if we can find the owner, you talk to security, see if they remember our guy."

x-x

Danny sat behind the wheel of the car. Jessica sitting shotgun. Both of them wrapped up against the stark crisp cold that had settled over the city.

The landscape didn't change much as they drove, block after block passed by, breaking only momentarily to allow for adjoining and exiting roads and small back alleys. A sea of concrete and asphalt as far as the eye could see.

"So." Jessica broke the silence.

"So?" Danny quickly glanced over a smile playing on his lips. "That all you're gonna say? Do I have to guess at what comes next?"

"Maybe." she smiled herself reaching to the central console to turn the heat up.

"Hey! No touching."

"I'm freezing my ass off."

"That's your problem, I'm just nice. Don't want to have to lose layers in this weather."

Silence fell over them for a solid while. Danny glanced over again, "You can ask."

"Ask what?"

"Whatever it is that you have swirling round that head of yours."

"Your last partner."

"Jackie?"

"Yeah."

"What about her?"

"What was she like?"

"She was my partner. Good cop." he glanced again, "What you mean, like?"

"Like personality, what she was like to work with."

"You know Jackie was Jackie. She was a good cop, we worked well together, most of the time. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. We butted heads a lot." he chuckled "I warn you now I'm not the easiest to get along with at times."

"Hard-headed?"

"So I'm told."

"My old job, we used to call people like you assholes."

Danny barked out a laugh "Yeah, I'm sure some or most would agree there. Nah, it was a good partnership. We solved cases."

"So why'd she leave?"

"She had her reasons." he paused as he glanced in the rear view "How about you? What made you transfer here?"

"Change of scenery. Not that Chicago is any different from New York, but." she shrugged "Got to move on sometimes right?"

"What happened? Bad break up?"

"Something like that. I'll tell you when I'm ready to face it."

"I'll hold you to that."

"So, you think we'll find anything at this club?"

"Maybe. Could be something, could be nothing. All we need is one key piece of information, get us moving forward."

"I suppose. I won't hold my breath though."

"Good, 'cos if you did I'd probably have to get a new partner, and to be fair I'm waiting to see where this one is going."

"Is that the Reagan way of subtly saying congrats you've passed?"

"I don't think the Reagan's know what the word subtle means."

x-x

They entered the club. The dimly lit hall led them down some stairs into the main dance hall. A few people stood behind the bar cleaning and restocking bottles of liqueurs and spirits.

"We're closed."

"Well good thing we aren't looking to party." Danny, having split off from Jess, walked to meet the man who had spoken, "Ray Kellerman?"

"That's me."

"NYPD. You see this kid last night?"

The man, who had a few inches on Danny each way, took the pro-offered photo from his hand and examined it, before he handed it back. "Can't remember, then again I spent most of the night up in the office or in the VIP lounge."

"That so?" Danny nodded "Oh, you ever see this kid?" he produced another photo.

"Yeah, him I know. Bumped him out about a week ago, told him not to come back."

"Why?"

"Kid was dealing. I have a zero tolerance policy."

"I bet you do."

Soon enough Danny exited the club and walked towards the car where Jess was pacing.

"Anything?"

"Security remembers him. Said he arrived alone, left alone. Kept an eye on him all night while he was schmoozing in the VIP lounge."

"Oh yeah? Owner said he was in there all night and didn't see Richie."

"Owner lies."

"Oh and get this he recognised Randy too. Said he turfed him out a week ago, said not to come back." he smirked, "Want to hear the funny part?"

"There's a punchline?"

"Owner reckons he works a zero tolerance policy. And _that_ is why Randy was out on his ass."

"Liar liar pants on fire."


	3. Chapter 3

Back in the precinct Jess sat at her desk tapping on the computer as Danny hovered and paced behind her.

"So we know that Kellerman is involved." he mused "And he must know dead and dumber somehow."

"Maybe he's in on their dealing." Jess tapped some more "I mean if Randy is selling, which lets face it is the likeliest of probabilities, then maybe Kellerman is the supplier."

"Could be the middle man." he leant on the desk and peered at the screen "Anything?"

"Few parking violations, that's about it." a rub of the face and a sigh followed "He doesn't have a record, which I have to say shocks me somewhat."

"How about employees? Family?"

"Let's see." she tapped at the keyboard and waited "All employees are clean, his brother did time for assault and robbery." she tapped again.

"What you running now?"

"I'm hoping that maybe we could peek at visitor logs."

"See if Kellerman knows an inmate." he nodded

"Nothing... Oh wait a sec." she clicked on something "Eureka."

"Did you just say Eureka?"

"Maybe."

"All right Einstein what did you discover?"

"Kellerman is being watched." she turned the monitor toward him "Seems we have eyes on him and his club."

"Looks like we get to go see what they know."

x-x

The two detectives entered OCCB and went to find a detective within the Narcotics division.

"Sleeping on the job again Leo." Danny exclaimed slapping his hand on the shoulder of a detective

"Never would I do such a thing." Leo smiled "So what brings you down here?"

"We need some information."

"We?" he glanced "No Jackie?"

"No Jackie. Leo Colgan, this is Jessica Ryan, Ryan this is Colgan."

"Nice to meet you." Jess nodded

"Same here. So what info are you looking for?"

"We need to know what you know about Ray Kellerman and his club."

Colgan whistled "Outta luck Reagan."

"Come man, we got a dead kid last seen at his place."

"My hands are tied. We've an undercover working it, operation's been going for almost six months already. I can't do anything."

"What if the DA okays it?"

"If the DA gives the nod, I'll get you the intel, until that happens I can only apologise for you wasting a trip. I'd say you should have called but you never do."

"That's because calling doesn't have the same effect as if I threaten in person."

"Right. Sorry Reagan."

"That's fine. We'll be back though."

"Look forward to it."

"So what now?" Jess asked as they walked out of the unit.

"We go get the nod from the DA. Lucky for us, I happen to know someone who can help."

x-x

Sitting in the relatively quiet office, Erin Reagan-Boyle was busy writing notes on one of the files that sat on her desk.

That is until the commotion outside the door caused her to pause, and the door opening caused her to raise her head and her brow.

"You can't just walk in!" Jessica exclaimed as Danny grabbed the handle of the door and pushed it open.

"Surprise!" he exclaimed

Erin rolled her eyes "It's not much of a surprise. You're the only one who doesn't knock. What do you want Danny?"

"What I can't come say hello?" he smiled at her as she just looked at him "All right, we need to get hold of whatever information you guys have on Ray Kellerman."

"That's an OCCB case right?" she asked standing and heading to a filing cabinet

"Yeah. We've been and asked. They sent us here."

Having retrieved the file Erin walked back to her seat "They've been running an operation for six months. Last they heard they were close to finding the head of the organisation."

"Please? Don't make me beg. Not in front of the newbie."

Erin glanced behind at the door where Jessica was standing. "His manners need some work, I'm Erin." she walked to meet Jessica. Slapping Danny on the head with the file.

"Jessica."

"Take a seat." she returned to hers "Danny I'd like to help, but they're close."

"We have a dead kid, last seen at Kellermans club. Kellerman denies seeing him but security told us they had eyes on the kid in the VIP lounge. Where Kellerman spent most of the night."

"Any reason they would lie about that?"

"Employees have no records." Jess spoke up. "The guy I spoke to seemed genuine enough."

Erin sighed and sat back in her seat. "Find something else that proves the kid was in the club and I'll have the information made available."

"How?" Danny asked

"Surveillance." Jess suggested "The club has cameras."

"I'll get you a warrant for the security footage. Only the security footage." she picked up the phone as Danny and Jess walked to the door. "Try not to step on any toes."

"Me? As if I would. Thanks sis." he smiled.


End file.
